Tourism press release, 911, Medical Insurance, Safety Standards

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windeguy

Guest
Tourism Ministry to enact Congressman Espaillat’s suggestions

Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic will implement recommendations offered by Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) to improve safety models for the protection of tourists in the Dominican Republic. Espaillat published these recommendations after his visit to the country earlier this month, during which he met with leaders of the tourism industry and officials of the Embassy of the United States.

Congressman Espaillat recommended that the Tourism Ministry continue working with hotels to ensure that tourists and guests have access to emergency services and standardized information on emergency services, such as how to communicate with the local 911 system, publishing it in hotel rooms and as information delivered to all hotels and resorts.

The chief of staff of the Ministry of Tourism, Pablo Espinal, spoke with CNN en Espanol and indicated that in the coming weeks, each hotel in the country will be asked to publish an emergency information card in all rooms with ways to communicate with the embassies, the tourism police and the 911 services.

Espaillat recommended that the country continue to deepen the coordination between the Office of the Attorney General of the Dominican Republic and the law enforcement agencies of the United States, including the ATF and the FBI, as this would help ensure coordination in a timely manner on any case involving the death of a citizen of the United States.

CNN reported that the FBI has a team of researchers on the island that assists in the toxicology tests of deaths of three Americans. In addition, island officials have also invited the ATF and the CDC to join the investigation.

Additionally, Congressman Espaillat recommended that the Ministry of Tourism take the existing international standards to control the quality of food and alcohol offered in hotels and resorts to apply a more robust and double review.

Espinal explained to CNN that hotels that have been inspected twice a year in the past will be inspected four times a year, including a detailed food and beverage inspection.

Congressman Espaillat also recommended that the Ministry of Tourism offer health insurance at low cost to tourists and praised the fact that the entity will take more measures to monitor the medical facilities located inside the hotels and will create an emergency center for tourists.

“The growth and expansion of the tourism industry in the Dominican Republic must be paired with the safety and well-being of travelers, and I am pleased that the country’s Ministry of Tourism is implementing the necessary measures to keep this important sector of tourism which is vital in the Dominican economy,” said Congressman Espaillat. “The Dominican Republic continues to be one of the main tourist destinations for Americans, and I remain committed to working with the country to ensure this trend continues and the safety and welfare of tourists remains a priority.”

According to reports from the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic, among the total of tourists who visit the island each year, 41.6% (equivalent to 2,334,987 travelers in 2018) come from the United States of America (USA), the country’s main trading partner.


https://dominicantoday.com/dr/touri...D6psOoMtiSZfsDAotpGxkpo5IKNaZIonBhteAKuErCmS8
 
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xstew

Guest
Good ideas and procedures very important. But keep in mind people must have the desire and training to do their job correctly
I once saw this in practice while working in Herrera. Their was a fire the sirens went off and after about half hour the fire truck came rambling down the road in direction of the smoke . Approximately an hour later [must have been small fire] The trucks came back at full speed. I asked a guy i was working with why the rush coming back from the fire. He said It was lunch time now and they were hungry
 
W

william webster

Guest
as much as talk - this could be nice window dressing to appease the big American press machine

promise the world...and hope for the same press exposure

The idea has merit....
implementation ??
therein lies the crux
 
C

cobraboy

Guest
as much as talk - this could be nice window dressing to appease the big American press machine

promise the world...and hope for the same press exposure

The idea has merit....
implementation ??
therein lies the crux
Gotta start somewhere...But, as always, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

If they can implement the mandatory emergency health insurance, at least tourists won't panic about the cash-up-front, no ticket/no laundry approach to DR emergency healthcare services.
 
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william webster

Guest
agreed - good idea...

just the implementation that might be the squeeze
I said way back - another thread- it might be a plus for tourism
 
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playacaribe2

Guest
as much as talk - this could be nice window dressing to appease the big American press machine

promise the world...and hope for the same press exposure

The idea has merit....
implementation ??
therein lies the crux

Sort of like the “all resorts must install security cameras in 60 days”.......

I can assure you there are no cameras installed on the grounds of the Iberostar in Puerto Plata.....and when asked about them......got that “what are you talking about look”......

Window dressing for sure.

As to providing and charging for health insurance to tourists.....that in my opinion is a good concept.....but the reality will be another story.

But all those UTESA doctors that could not empty bed pans in the US..... will now be employed as resort physicians....but it will give a sense of comfort to the tourists.....and to your point.....positive press exposure.

Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
 
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NanSanPedro

Guest
If people want health insurance, let them buy it on their own. Why make it mandatory? Are we/they trying to turn the RD into the USA where everything is regulated?

Horrible idea!
 
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bob saunders

Guest
Sort of like the “all resorts must install security cameras in 60 days”.......

I can assure you there are no cameras installed on the grounds of the Iberostar in Puerto Plata.....and when asked about them......got that “what are you talking about look”......

Window dressing for sure.

As to providing and charging for health insurance to tourists.....that in my opinion is a good concept.....but the reality will be another story.

But all those UTESA doctors that could not empty bed pans in the US..... will now be employed as resort physicians....but it will give a sense of comfort to the tourists.....and to your point.....positive press exposure.

Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

One thing most doctors in the DR are very familiar with are stomach and intestinal problems. Both these problems are common among tourists that frequent A1s.
 
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william webster

Guest
If you think about this... the health insurance idea - it fits right in with what the Gov't has been doing

Residency applicants have recently been made to buy insurance in the event they run afoul of the laws/rules whatever
This way nobody is put in a financial bind -
not the person, not the gov't - nobody

Remember the discussion about police costs tracking unruly tourists...
detracts from the care of the citizenry

Hospitals/clinics are no different -
they incur costs for legitimate reasons or for stupidity resulting in personal harm

RD is a poor country.....

I'm starting to like the idea...
 
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Uzin

Guest
Just because some congressman says something it doesn't mean anything to DR authorities, even US foreign office sulking and withdrawing the ambassador did not effect DR relationship with China and that thing about Taiwan. It is a bit of our American friends who thing the US have DR in their pocket....! (or any other country for that matter).

I see the health and repatriation insurance is now required for residency and residency renewal, more cost hey, sorry to hear that for all those effected. So and now we need that for tourists too, really .... !? Anything else, how about the rest of things needed for residency for tourists...! lol

By the way no hospital or clinic in DR touch a tourists unless paid up front or present a valid CC, so no burden whatsoever on them, a nonsense excuse. Most tourists also buy travel insurance from their home country, either online when they buy ticket or via their travel agent - congressman should have done more homework before coming here and making proposal and demands for publicity. If for real he should have pointed at lack of police resources and check if they have fingerprint or DNA kits, and/or how often they use it... !?
 
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william webster

Guest
Uzin
remember the drunken woman who went for a swim on the way to SDQ
I didn't read anywhere that the woman pulled out her checkbook before dying 5 days later
Perhaps you do...

Not a cheap hospital visit
 
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Uzin

Guest
Uzin
remember the drunken woman who went for a swim on the way to SDQ
I didn't read anywhere that the woman pulled out her checkbook before dying 5 days later
Perhaps you do...

Not a cheap hospital visit

Did you hear that she (had a CC) or her family or some insurance didn't pay... !? You really think they took care of her for 5 days for free, AND released her body with no payment, in DR... !!!
 
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william webster

Guest
it wouldn't surprise me -
with all the publicity surrounding their case

But I ask YOU the question....
how do YOU know she paid?
 
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Uzin

Guest
it wouldn't surprise me -
with all the publicity surrounding their case

But I ask YOU the question....
how do YOU know she paid?

The same as you do, I've been in DR for too long.... !

Here an example, my friend took a moto crazy guy who "smashed" to his car to the hospital bleeding all over. The police escorted him to his condo, then to ATM to bring money back to the hospital while the guy waiting for treatment. And many more story, without money, CC, or insurance, no admission.

If you have no experience or never heard of these things you lived in a bubble here...
 
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SKY

Guest
If you have no DR insurance you must pay up front here. Even if you have foreign insurance. And for foreign insurance the normal procedure is you pay and get the money back from your insurance company. The hospital does not collect from them.
 
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Riva_31

Guest
Just because some congressman says something it doesn't mean anything to DR authorities

The one they refer Adriano Spaillat has Dominican roots, and he got his seat because of US - Dominican citizents from NY.
 
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windeguy

Guest
Just because some congressman says something it doesn't mean anything to DR authorities, even US foreign office sulking and withdrawing the ambassador did not effect DR relationship with China and that thing about Taiwan. It is a bit of our American friends who thing the US have DR in their pocket....! (or any other country for that matter).

I see the health and repatriation insurance is now required for residency and residency renewal, more cost hey, sorry to hear that for all those effected. So and now we need that for tourists too, really .... !? Anything else, how about the rest of things needed for residency for tourists...! lol

By the way no hospital or clinic in DR touch a tourists unless paid up front or present a valid CC, so no burden whatsoever on them, a nonsense excuse. Most tourists also buy travel insurance from their home country, either online when they buy ticket or via their travel agent - congressman should have done more homework before coming here and making proposal and demands for publicity. If for real he should have pointed at lack of police resources and check if they have fingerprint or DNA kits, and/or how often they use it... !?

Did you read the article I posted? The first line? Here it is again:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic will implement recommendations offered by Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) to improve safety models for the protection of tourists in the Dominican Republic. Espaillat published these recommendations after his visit to the country earlier this month, during which he met with leaders of the tourism industry and officials of the Embassy of the United States.

Others have also stated that travel insurance for tourists has been under discussion for some time now.

For those that can connect the dots, that means that tourists that overstay 30 day tourist cards may (read that as almost certainly will) also be in violation of not having insurance that covers them in the DR. How many people do you know from the US, for example, that have insurance that covers them for extended periods (or even one day) while out of the country?
 
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windeguy

Guest
Did you hear that she (had a CC) or her family or some insurance didn't pay... !? You really think they took care of her for 5 days for free, AND released her body with no payment, in DR... !!!

What I have seen with my own eyes with respect to DR hospital stays is that you pay before you are released. If the family wanted her body after 5 days in the hospital, they almost certainly had to pay the bill.
 
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william webster

Guest
as I recall- she was never coherent/conscious.... and then died